Chicago-area unemployment falls to 8.6%

Eduardo Vilchis, right, collects information at a job fair for veterans in November 2011 sponsored by the Illinois Department of Employment Security. (Michael Tercha/Tribune)

Greater Chicago's unemployment rate fell to 8.6 percent in December, the government said Friday, although it's still above the national average.

The national unemployment rate stood last month at 7.6 percent. The rate across Chicago, Joliet and Naperville was down from 9.3 percent in December 2011.

Across the state, the unemployment rate fell in nine out of 12 metro areas in the state last month, but that's in part because some people gave up their search for work.

The rate in two of the remaining metro areas was essentially unchanged from a year ago while the rate in just one metro area -- Decatur -- rose from December of 2011. That's according to preliminary data from the U.S. Department of Labor and the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

Decatur currently has the highest unemployment rate out of the state's metro areas at 11.8 percent. The lowest, 6.3 percent, is in Bloomington-Normal.

The unemployment rate identifies those who are out of work and are searching for another job. If they have stopped looking, they are not counted.

The actual number of jobs added in Illinois is bleaker. Payrolls last month increased in half of Illinois' metro areas. The largest percentage increases were in Champaign-Urbana, Kankakee-Bradley and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville. Growth was led by additions in leisure and hospitality, transportation, warehousing and utilities.

Greater Chicago added 37,800 jobs last year to reach 3.72 million in December.